01: Research

To understand real-world struggles, I interviewed 8 people—5 full-time professionals and 3 university students.

• Questions about demographics, their experience using scheduling applications, their goals, and pain points were asked.

This allowed us to better understand the participants' backgrounds and experiences, allowing us to tailor the testing sessions to their specific requirements. We then replicated the audience for our users to the Motion user age group (18-45) using peer-to-peer recruitment to ensure a more representative and comprehensive user base for Motion.​

1.  “I feel lost in my calendar.”

2.  “What’s the difference between tasks and events?”

3.  “What does AI schedule even do?”

03 Evaluation

I used three different UX methodologies to familiarize myself with UX research methodologies.

First:

• With these insights, I conducted a heuristic evaluation based on Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics.

• The biggest problems? Lack of user control, unclear system status, and cognitive overload.

Why? Conducting a Heuristic Evaluation allowed us to identify potential frequent mistakes, which can inform task analysis development. It also provides an easy and efficient way to uncover usability issues within the application.

Comparative Study

• A variety of competing products on the market serve a plethora of use cases

• Reclaim & Calendly are two of the most popular

• Methodology: Complete usability testing analogous to testing done for Motion

  • Multi-day journaling of experiences using both

  • Comparison of core functionalities and use cases through desk research

Usability Enhancement

To gain valuable insights, I used the affinity mapping technique. I collected data from observations, user feedback, and other sources, then documented key points on sticky notes. These notes were systematically grouped into categories based on tasks, allowing me to identify patterns, trends, and user needs effectively.

Suggested usability enhancements to make Motion more convenient, user-friendly, and efficient:
 

• Allow users to sign up and set up Motion on mobile devices.

• Provide feedback to users throughout the setup process.

• Have notifications to remind users about their schedules.

• Offer a template library that users can use to quickly and easily create new tasks and projects.

• Customize task management to meet individual needs.

• Use consistent design elements and terminology throughout the application.

05 Take Out

After another round of usability testing with the design improvements, Motion was seen to improve user experience significantly. Even the slightest changes and incorporating pages together led users to have an easier experience for everyone using Motion.

• Registration, once a frustrating four-step process, became a quick, one-step action, 5x faster.

• Onboarding, a crucial first impression, became 3x smoother.

• Payment processing, once a major headache, sped up by 11x, building trust and confidence.

• Task creation became twice as efficient, with better AI scheduling and customization.

• Error rates dropped across the board, proving a huge leap in usability.

These improvements were more than just stats—they were proof of what happens when user feedback and thoughtful design come together. The impact was real, making Motion a faster, easier, and more enjoyable tool for everyone.